


On Days Like These

by Croppmar000



Series: In a Lifetime [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Fatherhood, M/M, Married Life, Protective Jason, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 21:36:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14387607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Croppmar000/pseuds/Croppmar000
Summary: Things were good. Jason was actually happy, he didn't feel like he was missing anything in his life. At least that's what he thought, until Dick's past comes back in the most unexpected way.





	On Days Like These

Jason was lonely.

After being out of the country for the last two weeks (on a mission that Dick and Bruce would NOT approve of), he was hoping to spend some much needed quality time with his spouse.

Dick unfortunately had other plans. Plans he’d made while Jason had been gone.

He figured it was payback for going on said mission (the only reason he’d gone was because he owed this guy a favor), Dick had known Jason would be gone. It wasn’t much of a stretch to consider he’d figured out what Jason had been up to. He was far too smart for his own good in Jason’s opinion.

These plans Dick had made, they were going to keep him busy, all day. Which would leave Jason home alone in their apartment, all day.

He thought over calling Tim, seeing what the kid was up to, before remembering that he was doing some off the books mission for Batman Inc. Damian was part of the reason Dick was gone, and Bruce… he and Bruce didn’t really talk anymore. They hadn’t talked in a while.

Anyone and everyone he could’ve seen today was either busy or too far away. But he really only wanted to see Dick.

Jason had taken to wandering the apartment aimlessly, like a sims character. For the last hour he’d occupied his time by sitting upside down on the couch.

He groaned. “I’m bored.” He announced, out loud to the empty apartment.

He turned himself upright, bouncing up off the couch, and onto the balls of his feet.

“What to do while my husband is gone?” He asked, continuing to voice his thoughts to the nonexistent audience.

He pivoted on his heels, basically spinning around in his living room.

He glanced over at the clock on the stove, sighing inwardly.

Dick had left around nine in the morning, and it was now just barley eleven-thirty. He had told Jason he wouldn’t be back until late. After patrol, kind of late. Three in the morning, kind of late.

“Freaking Damian,” Jason continued mumbling, “why’d you need him tonight?!”

Jason scanned his kitchen. “What obscure thing can I make myself for lunch?”

He began picking through his pantry. “Aha! Obscure cup of noodles, score.”

He hadn’t really been a fan of instant noodles until spending a year with Tim. The kid’s eating habits were about as regular as his sleeping schedule. Tim didn’t ever eat a hot meal unless it was prepared for him. He ate when he was hungry, and he would go for whatever was easy and could be made in the shortest amount of time. Instant noodles qualified.

Dick was fairly similar. But contrary to popular belief, he actually knew how to cook and (Jason will admit) he wasn’t bad at it. He just didn’t do it very often.

He sat at the island, eating in silence.

As much as Jason actually enjoyed the silence, this one allowed his thoughts to wander. Or really focus on his and Dick’s conversation last night.

They had discussed the subject multiple times over their now three year old marriage. The outcome was always the same. It just wouldn’t work.

He’s always sort of wanted a family. Dick had never said he didn’t, he just always had the same (extremely valid) argument.

Both of them had made far too many high profile enemies, ones that would pursue them until their dying breath. With or without the masks.

Dick refused to just put a target on some innocent kid’s back, purley out of domestic desires. Jason agreed. It didn’t make it sting any less, and it didn’t stop him from wanting that life.

Said conversation didn’t end on a bad note per say, but he wanted to make sure things were okay between them.

A faint knock on his door pulled him from his deep thoughts.

He stood up, figuring it was the elderly woman from down the hall who had lived here since Dick had bought the building over a decade ago. She always stopped Dick or himself to help her with weird things going on in her apartment. Things the super is supposed to take care of.

When he opened the door it wasn’t old senile Mrs. West, but a young girl.

Jason was taken back by her presence. He’d never seen her before, but she didn’t look old enough to be on her own, knocking on Jason’s door.

She was eight, maybe nine, with long black curls. She was dressed in a bizarre manner, like she’d fallen into a donation bin at Good-Will. Her face was vaguely familiar, he couldn’t quite figure out why, he was positive he’d never seen this kid. Her eyes though, caused red flags to raise in Jason’s head. They were green. Completely green, similar to Kori’s.

She looked up expectantly, a small grin playing on her lips.

Jason smiled down at her warmly, if not slightly confused. “Can I help you?”

“I was looking for my father. I was told he would be here

Jason blinked. He certainly wasn’t her father. “What’s his name?”

She opened her mouth to answer before closing it. She glanced in both directions down the hall before gesturing for Jason to kneel.

She cupped her hands to his ear and whispered “Nightwing.”

His eyebrows shot up.

That might’ve been possible. Considering his history with a certain Tameranian.

Someone Jason knows went back to Tameran around nine years ago.

Jason swallowed thickly as he stood up.

“He’s uh, he’d…” Jason trailed off. “How about you come inside and I’ll find him for you.”

She stepped past the threshold looking around the apartment.

“Where’s your mother?” He asked her.

She turned to face Jason. “Back on Tameran. She sent me away.”

A million questions popped into Jason’s head. One’s he knew she couldn’t answer.

“And how did you know your father was here?”

She handed Jason a device. An old Titan’s communicator. “My mom said that would help me find him once I got here.”

Jason studied the device. Dick still had his, he didn’t carry it around, but it was in the apartment. Packed away with his gear.

He kept it around, just in case.

“Hang tight, okay. I’m gonna call him. You just… yeah.”

Jason stepped out into the hall, while she pulled herself onto a bar stool.

He dialed Dick’s number, which Dick didn’t answer.

“Goddammit Dick, c’mon.” he groaned, dialing again.

Still no answer.

He sighed.

Of all the times Dick couldn’t (or wouldn’t) answer his phone, this was one of the worst times for him to be busy.

His phone buzzed. A text from Dick.

_Is someone dying?_

Jason rolled his eyes before shooting back a response. _It is equally important. Just call me._

Dick didn’t respond, or immediately call him, annoying Jason. A lot.

Jason walked back into the apartment. She sat up on the bar stool, swinging her dangling feet.

He took a moment a moment to study her.

The longer he watched, the more he became he became convinced that this was Dick’s kid.

He hadn’t met Dick until he was fifteen and Dick was out of the house and refusing to talk to Bruce. Jason had no idea what Dick had been like as a child. He imagined it to be something like this.

She glanced around taking in her surroundings. The way she curiously looked around was similar to what Dick does in a new environment. Exactly like Dick does. In fact, she was the spitting image of Dick.

_Yeah,_ he thought to himself, _this is Dick’s kid._

It didn’t take her long to notice him.

She looked at him expectantly.

“He should be calling me in a little bit.” He tells her. He glanced over at the remains of his lunch. “Umm- are you… are you hungry?”

She looked over at the bowl next to her, before back at Jason slowly.

“Okay, “ He clasped his hands together. “Let’s see what I can do for you.”

He walked over to his fridge to his fridge. “We got- half an onion, leftover Chinese food, a bottle of salad dressing, and a jar with two pickles in it.”

She didn’t answer, opting for an awkward grin.

“I’m just kidding. Do you want anything in particular or…”

She shook her head.

He nodded, and began fixing her something to eat.

“So, I realized that I don’t your name.”

“It’s Mar’i.” She tells him.

“Jason.” He reached over, shaking her much smaller hand.

She takes it shaking firmly.

Dick finally called him back while she eats.

Jason stepped away, to answer the call.

‘ _Hey,_ ’ he greeted hinting at some concern. ‘ _What’s up?’_

“What took you so long?” Jason asked. “Irrelevant. You need to get home. Now!”

_‘What! Why? Jay are you okay?_ ’

“Yeah, no, I’m fine. You just need to get back, as soon as you can.”

‘ _I told you, last night, Damian needed me in Gotham. To help him investigate a crash site outside of Gotham._ ’

That caught Jason’s attention. He knew Dick was investigating something, he just hadn’t known what.

Jason had a hunch as to how how Mar’i got here. It sounded like Dick was going to be investigating where she’d landed.

“Yeah, um, I think I might know what that was.”

He could imagine the look on Dick’s face. Pure confusion.

‘ _I_ _s something wrong?_ ’ Dick finally asks him.

Jason sighed. “I don’t want to explain this on the phone. Just get home. Please.”

Dick hesitated. ‘ _I’ll get home as soon as I can. Okay?_ ’

He nodded, knowing full well Dick couldn’t see it. “Okay. Love you.”

‘ _You too._ ’

* * *

It took Dick two hours to finally get home.

He hadn’t even realized Dick was home until he heard the door being unlocked and Dick stepping through.

Jason had mostly blocked Dick’s view of Mar’i. Mostly

Dick gestured to her, his eyebrow raised. A dozen silent questions in the one facial expression.

Jason gestured to the bedroom. “I’ll be right back.” He whispered to Mar’i.

Once Jason closed the door behind them, the interrogation began.

“What the hell was so important? Who is that girl?”

“Okay, I’m pretty sure, whatever Damian discovered, has something to do with her.”

“That doesn’t explain what she’s doing here.”

“She’s Kori’s daughter.”

Dick froze.

“And I’m almost certain she’s your daughter as well.”

Dick’s face read panic.

“Kori sent her here for unknown reasons, and gave her this,” Jason hands Dick the communicator, “to help her locate her father.”

Dick blinked at him. “You’re, you’re kidding right? Jay- I get you’re upset, over what happened last night. But seriously?”

“This’d be a really mean joke. No, I’m completely serious, that is your daughter.”

Jason could see the protests forming in Dick’s mouth.

“Look, I know what you’re gonna say, I just spent two hours with her. That is your kid.”

Dick’s eyes shot towards the living room. His features were filled with multiple emotions, panic being the most prominent.

Jason began to attempt to close the distance, Dick maintained it. It hurt to watch. It wasn’t something Dick hadn’t done before when something huge had been dropped in his lap like this.

The first time he’d seen this behavior from Dick had been when he’d discovered how Jason felt about him. He hadn’t taken that particular discovery very well, he’d obviously warmed up to the idea. He separated himself from the situation, while he wrapped his head around whatever was going on.

“Please talk to me, baby, c’mon. I know this is huge.

Dick glanced up at him. “It’s just-” he stopped, like the words wouldn’t work. “Why would she keep this from me?”

“I don’t think that was the intention.”

Dick sighed, leaning against the wall. His mind far away.

“I mean, she was on a different planet.” Jason continued. “How was she supposed to contact you?”

Dick looked over at him, the comment hadn’t been appreciated.

“She’s completely awesome.”

That caught his attention. “What’s her name?”

Jason smiled. “Mar’i.”

Dick repeated the name under his breath, testing how it felt in his mouth.

“She looks just like you.” Jason began attempting to turn the tone of the conversation. “I mean, she has some of the same quirks as you, she smiles like you, talks like you, looks like you.”

Jason began to reattempt to close the distance between them. Dick didn’t step back, allowing Jason to wrap him up in his arms.

Jason kissed his temple. “It’ll be okay. I mean, it’s not an ideal situation but, we’ll have a family. You’re not doing this alone.”

He felt Dick relax against him. “I guess you’re right.” he whispered. “It could be worse.”

There was a beat of silence.

Suddenly Dick tensed up, pulling away. He covered his mouth. “Oh god Kori. You know the only reason she would’ve sent away Mar’i was if something happened.”

Jason began to realize what Dick was getting at. “Are you saying…”

Dick nodded. “Yeah, that or imprisoned, or enslaved. I mean, why else would she send her daughter away?”

Jason sighed, unsure how to respond. “You should talk to her.”

Dick leaned his head back against Jason’s shoulder. “Yeah, I probably should.”

Jason continued pressing kisses against Dick’s temple. “I’ll stay put, give you two some privacy.”

Dick nodded.

* * *

The talked for hours, well into the evening.

Jason had taken to sitting on the floor in the hall listening. The first little bit was painful to listen too, he couldn’t imagine being a part of it.

Eventually, Dick found something that sparked her interest. One thing led to another and he was now teaching her tic-tac-toe. A strange choice? Yes. But it seemed to be working.

Jason glanced around the corner. He saw them sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. She was pressed against his side watching him write on the paper.

She took the pen from his hand, making her move.

Dick was wearing his usual troublemaker smile. “Whoa, that was mean.”

She giggled, looking up at him.

“I didn’t see that coming.”

Her grin windend“You didn’t see that coming?”

Dick shook his head. “No, you’re so smart. I just… you’re smarter than me.”

She wasn’t buying it, but she played along.

Jason couldn’t help but smile at them. Dick was, of course, falling into the roll with annoying ease. Like he always did. Dick was just naturally good at everything.

His husband was without a doubt, the most attractive person he knew. Jason hadn’t thought it was possible for him to be even more beautiful. Seeing him now, with his daughter like she’d always been here, Jason felt like he was falling for him hard all over again.

Dick spotted Jason, his smile shifted, he raised an eyebrow at him before focusing back at the again.

Dick had already contacted Damian, telling him something came up. Apparently, Tim was back from his mission, he was going to help in place of Dick. Jason was positive Demon Spawn was going to just _love_ the change.

Jason got up, deciding to turn in early.

He took a shower, figuring Dick would make sure Mar’i would be taken care of tonight.

When he got out Dick was sitting in the bed typing away at his laptop while his phone blew up next to him.

“You gonna get that?” Jason asked him.

“Nah, it’s just Damian. I don’t think he appreciated my stand in.”

“So, Tim’s not a good replacement. Weird.”

“Lay off man.”

“What? I’m kidding.”

Dick smiled shaking his head as he went back to focusing on his work.

“Whatcha workin’ on?” Jason crawls onto the bed, looking at the screen while resting his head on Dick’s shoulder.

Dick ignored him. “Just trying to figure out what happened.”

“What?”

“Just… hmmm… Tim’s been sending stuff from the site. There’s a lot to siphon through.”

Jason started kissing his shoulder, in a desperate attempt to get his spouse's attention.

“Do you need something?” Dick finally asks him.

Jason shook his head, continuing to press kisses against the old t-shirt.

Dick stops typing and looks at Jason. “You know, I would babe, but I’m busy.”

“Hasn’t stopped you in the past.”

“This is important.”

“You smell good.”

Dick gave an amused sigh, kissing the top of his head. “Maybe tomorrow.”

“I’m holdin’ you too it.”

Dick smiled. “Okay.”

Jason kissed him deeply. “Are you sleeping tonight?”

Dick shrugs. “We’ll see.”

Jason laid back, sprawled on his half of the bed. “I missed you these past two weeks.”

Dick glanced back at him. “I missed you too.”

“It’s hard to sleep without you.”

Dick smirked.

“You think that’s funny.”

“I just don’t have any trouble sleeping without you. Kidding.”

Jason rolled his eyes.

“Did you not sleep while you were gone?”

“No, I did. Just not as well.”

“Awww, you’re clingy.”

“Piss off.”

Dick returned his focus to the computer, ending the conversation.

Jason hadn’t realized how tired he felt until he laid there for a few minutes listening to Dick’s impossibly fast typing. He shifted, laying against Dick’s side. At some point Dick stopped typing, opting to stroke Jason’s back with his fingertips, lulling him to sleep.

He isn’t sure when he fell asleep, but he was content.

Jason thought that just being with Dick was all he needed to be happy. He wasn’t wrong, he felt complete when he was with Dick. Now, there was something else to fill his life with joy, and he was so happy Mar’i was with them.

He actually had everything he wanted, the world could end tonight and he would’ve felt complete. There was so much more to fight for now. He wasn’t about to let anything happen to this life he’d created.

**Author's Note:**

> I do plan on adding more. But this will just be a series of one shots, all filled with fluff, based off what happened in this story. So, stay tuned.


End file.
